‘Millennial’ has almost become a household term by now; it’s certainly used frequently by any leisure or customer-focused business. Millennials are those people born between the early 1980s and the mid-1990s and have become a dominant market in most industries.
For hotels and B&Bs they provide a natural and very viable target, given their characteristics. They’re a generation that grew up with the internet and have become accustomed to the progress of technology. They’re also much more focused on experiences than materials, meaning they travel frequently. Additionally, they’re the perfect age; being young professionals who are starting to establish good careers and using their income for fulfilling adventures.
Here’s how you can make sure millennials are booking at your hotel:
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Be as visible online as possible
Millennials are truly an online generation, constantly using smartphones, tablets, or computers to research, work, shop, play games, date. For this reason, offline advertising is almost redundant for millennials. You need to work on your online presence and become engaged with these young travellers.
To do this you need to:
- Create a functional and mobile-friendly website
- Connect to various online travel agents
- Maintain a following on social media
- Be visible on mobile apps
- Strengthen your search engine optimisation
- Consider more playful advertising such as video marketing
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Make your offers authentic
Millennials are very enthusiastic about authentic experiences, investigating culture, and trying new things. Make sure when you advertise your property you are displaying what is unique about your destination and your B&B or hotel. It’s likely your business will be highly connected to the local area so use this to your advantage when attracting this group of travellers.
It would also be a good idea to incorporate as much of your local culture into your hotel as possible to immerse guests in the experience. Standing out as a unique property will go a long way to attracting millennials, as will the presence of a vibrant common area.
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Don’t discount the value of little gifts
Millennials are constantly wanting to share their experiences and tell their travel stories, especially on social media. Give them a reason to post a perfect picture on Instagram or share a nice moment on Snapchat.
One way to do this is by leaving gifts on the bed or elsewhere in the room. Be it a box of chocolates, champagne, or flowers, it’s little details like this that millennials will look out for and broadcast to their peers online.
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Entice millennials with attractive deals
While millennials are ready and willing to spend money on travel, they’re always on the lookout for a good deal, and are happy to share them too.
Use promotions and package deals to further enhance the offer your property can make to them. Value is something they actively seek out so any perceived extra you can give them increases your chances of capturing a booking. For example, a discount when booking for a group could encourage millennials to get more friends together for a trip.
The post How you can make sure millennials are booking at your B&B appeared first on Front Desk & Reservation System for Small Hotels – Little Hotelier.
